


Someone To Love

by determinedlove



Series: Someone to Have (Someone to Hold) [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Child Abuse, Intersex, M/M, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, homophobic language but only for a second, that shit gets shut down fast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-27 23:45:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18200603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/determinedlove/pseuds/determinedlove
Summary: Jim Hopper had a new house and an adopted daughter who brought joy to to his life. He didn't rely on medication to get him through the day anymore. He actually enjoyed waking up for the day again. But he wanted someone to share his bed. He wanted someone he could share his life with again.Steve Harrington was working at the diner so he could finally move out of his parent's house because he was tired. He was tired of having to worry about if his dad was going to be in a bad mood and he would end up covered in bruises. He was tired of his mother's side remarks, like he could help how puberty turned out for him. He wasn't looking for a savior. He had learned a long time ago that you needed to be able to save yourself. But a place to rest his head would be nice.Then a call comes in for a disturbance at the Harrington residence. And they'll have to decide. Keep circling around each other and let fear win. Or take the plunge.





	Someone To Love

**Author's Note:**

> This story would not leave my head. Like at all. I couldn't even work on my other story until I finished this one. Which was suppose one a short one-shot. Which obviously didn't happen. And is now going to be a series.
> 
> Steve is aged up. He graduated high school the year Nancy and Jonathan were freshmen so he's 19 going on 20. The upside down does not exist in this. There is a scene where there's an implied threat of rape. 
> 
> Hope ya'll enjoy!

Moans of passion and gasps of pleasure echoed throughout the room as the sound of skin slapping together came from the bed. Hands travelled down the back of his partner, leaving scratches in wake as he arched up as the thrusts started coming faster and stronger.

 Whimpers escaped as the man above him reached down and rubbed his clit while bending down and leaving a trail of nips and lips along his neck. “Fuck,” Steve moaned out as he could feel his orgasm approached rapidly.

 “Holy shit,” Jim Hopper groaned, meeting Steve’s lips as he felt his walls clamp down on him. He followed Steve over the edge, spilling deep inside him.He kissed him chastely before rolling off of Steve and on his back. He pulled Steve to his chest and buried his nose in his hair when he laid his head down.

______________________________________

_Three months earlier_

 “Jesus, Callahan,” Hopper shook his head as he watched his deputy shove down the food. “You’re suppose to be setting a better example for her.” He pointed to Eleanor Jane, his adopted daughter.

 “I’m use to it, Dad,” Jane said, patiently waiting to order her food, as she sipped on her orange juice. “He has no manners. Remember, he was suppose to wait for us.”

 Hop smirked at Callahan’s look of indignant and shrugged. “Kid’s got a point.”

He watched both Jane and Callahan sit up from their slouches as Callahan checked himself for stains on his clothes as their waiter walked by. Not that he could blame him. Steve Harrington was certainly something to look at, something no one besides the teenagers in Hawkins had acknowledged out loud until he turned eighteen. Hopper watched as he poured more coffee into old man Johnson’s cup.

 Steve had developed a lot faster than the rest of the carriers in this town and had the figure most woman and carriers in Hawkins, who had the money anyway, had gone under the knife for. He smirked as he noticed Janice Walkins staring at Steve in jealousy. She would have killed to have those legs Steve liked to flaunt in shorts.

 He smiled at Steve as he came by to refill Callahan’s cup and brought a pen out of his apron to write down their order. Jane loved coming to this diner for this every reason.

“What can I get for you two today, Chief,” Steve said, looking at Jane.

 “Well dad said that I couldn’t have just waffles this time,” she said with a pout as she looked up at Steve and giggled. “And I’m not the chief.”

 “Pssh,” Steve laughed. “I bet you run more of the house and town than he does.” He waved a hand in Hopper’s direction. “Isn’t that right, Hop?”

 “Can’t argue with that,” he said, biting back a laugh as Callahan stared not too hard at Steve. “Isn’t it getting a bit too cold to be wearing short like that?” He raised an eyebrow at Steve.

 Steve scoffed and bent down to Jane’s level. “Never let a man, once you turn eighteen anyway, tell you how to dress, sweetheart.” Jane nodded seriously taking his words to heart.

 “And for your information, Chief,” Steve looked at him in the eyes as he stood up, “it isn’t that cold. Not my fault your deputy can’t keep his eyes to himself.”

 “Yea,” Jane glared at Callahan, who was turning bright red. “We were just saying how rude he was.”

 “Chief,” Callahan whined. “You always do this. I wasn’t looking.”

 Steve snorted as he looked at Jane expectantly, “How about we add strawberries to the top of your waffles and I’ll have Big John add blueberries to the batter? That way you get some fruit.”

 Jane and Steve turned to look at Hopper, one with a raised eyebrow while another pleaded with her eyes. He nodded his head and couldn’t help but smile as Jane light up.

 Steve wrote it down and asked, “And the usual for you?”

 “Yup,” Hopper said, “and if you could add Powell’s regular to that. I would appreciate it.”

 “Of course,” Steve started writing it down. “I’ll make sure to box it up for you.”

 “What will they do in this place when you decide to leave,” Hopper asked with a smile as Jane nodded in agreement.

 Steve laughed and brought his pen up to his ear. Jim’s smile dimmed as he caught a glimpse of a hand-like bruise on his wrist that showed when Steve’s sleeve went down slightly. He casually tugged it down and called out as he walked away, “I’ll put your order in.”

 Hopper shared a look with Callahan, who spoke up. “I did hear that Joseph Harrington’s car was in the driveway this morning.”

 Hopper waved off Jane’s look of concern with words of comfort as he looked at Steve’s retreating back.

______________________________________________________________________

 Hopper was about to walk out the door and head home when Flo stopped him with a hand up and the phone to her ear.

 “Don’t worry. I’ll send them over right over. I have the chief right here,” she said calmly into the phone. She put in down and looked at him.

“What Flo? You know I have to go pick up Jane from Joyce’s. I’m sure Callahan and Powell can handle it.” He nodded in their direction as they spoke in agreement and started to turn back around.

“That was one of the Harrington’s neighbors,” she said, causing him to turn back swiftly. “They said that they can hear shouting and screaming.”

 Hopper ran out the door with Callahan and Powell right behind his heels but not before calling behind him, “Make sure to have an ambulance on stand by. Just in case. And call Joyce. Jane might end up staying out there tonight.”

He put the siren on and peeled out of the parking lot. These were the worst types of calls, especially when it was someone as influential as Joseph Harrington. He was the type that tried to intimidate everyone into silence and it had the unfortunate side effect of working.

He couldn’t help but think about the time he had been called to the high school. Steve Harrington had been sitting there with a black eye and busted lip. His second of the month, which consequently seemed to occur when Steve’s dad was home. He said that it was some random guy which caused Jim and the nurse to share a look over his head.

No one in Hawkins had the nerve to harm a carrier. When Jim hinted at that he watched as Steve’s defenses slammed down. At seventeen no one should have those type of defenses. He had left the high school that day with a bad taste in his mouth and an urge to punch something.

He pulled up to the Harrington’s and walked briskly to the front door as he walked the front doors open to every other house. _A bunch of gossiping biddies,_ he couldn’t help but think as he pounded on the front door. He could hear shouting and knocked even harder.

“Hawkin’s Police. We’ve received a noise complaint. Open up,” he yelled out, as Callahan and Powell reach the front door. He heard screaming and waved them back. He brought a foot out and kicked at the door, ignoring the crowd that had gathered in the next yard over as they gasped.

They rushed inside and ran up the stairs as they could clearly hear Mrs.Harrington yelling.

She was standing in Steve’s room trying to pull her husband off of her son, who had his hands around Steve’s throat. He was clawing, trying to reach any part of his dad to get his hands off of him.

“Stop it! Joseph, stop! You’re going to kill him,” She screamed, pulling harder. “He didn’t mean it! Stop!”

She was pushed out of the way by Hopper, who grabbed Joseph and pried his hands off of Steve’s throat and slammed him into the wall with his hands behind his back. He put the cuffs on him as he started shouting. 

 “The fucking whore deserved it!” His face was red with fury. “He should have done what I said. That’s all he had to fucking do.”

 He started laughing as Hopper read him his rights. “You think I’m not going to get out? Please. You’re a little fish compared to me, Hopper.”

 Jim threw him at Callahan. “Put him in your fucking car before I do something I won’t regret.”

 He turned back to Powell, who was trying to calm Mrs. Harrington down and looking at Steve, who was on the ground gasping, in barely concealed pity.

 “You can’t just arrest my husband,” Mrs. Harrington yelled at Powell. “Do you know what he’s done for this town?”

 Hopper shook his head in disbelief as he approached Steve and kneeled. He looked into those wide, frantic eyes and kept staring as he spoke to Powell.

 “Get her out of here, Calvin. Obviously, she’s more worried about her husband than her son.”

 He could hear her yelling something about that sounded like “small town sheriffs that needed to mind their own damn business” while he touched Steve’s knee. That single touch broke the boy, who flung himself at Hopper, sobbing as he wrapped his arms around his neck.

 “It’s okay,” he murmured back, putting his arms around his back. He rubbed circles into Steve’s back trying to calm the gasping boy down. “It’s okay, now. He’s not going to hurt you. I won’t let that happen.”

 He waved off the EMT, who walked into his sight. He gestured toward the stairs and she walked out. He didn’t know how long he stayed there, holding onto Steve but when he finally pulled away, he quickly hid any pity that he was feeling. He had never appreciated it when his father had beat on him.

 “I just turned down some guy,” Steve whispered, pulling himself out of Hopper’s hold to wrap his arms around himself. “Apparently, he was some big head honcho’s son. He didn’t appreciate that a carrier turned him down.”

 Steve stopped the sob building in his throat as he brought his hand up to feel his throat. “He’s never choked me before. I’ve never been scared that he would try to kill me.”

 Hopper sighed and pulled Steve up gently by the arm as he started standing up. “Is that what he said? Did he say he was going to kill you?”

 “Yea,” Steve’s voice sounded dazed. “He said if I could whore myself out to anyone I wanted but I couldn’t for him that I was just a waste of space.”

 Hopper closed his eyes and tried to calm himself as he walked Steve down the stairs.

 “I’m going to need a statement, Steve,” he said in a calm voice. “We’ll have to take you to the hospital and we’re going to need pictures.”

 He expected Steve to fight him on it. It’s what he had done anytime someone mentioned anything that sounded like they wanted him to press charges on his dad. But Steve just nodded his head.

 “Doesn’t matter now. He already took me out of his will and told the whole family to disown me for,” Steve held up his fingers in quotation marks. “not putting the wellbeing and honor of the family before myself.”

 Hopper didn’t know what to say to that so he just led him to the ambulance. He told them he would meet them there and watched as the woman wrapped her arm around Steve as they closed the door and drove away.

 “Jesus,” Hopper muttered under his breath as he walked over to Powell and Mrs. Harrington, who had finally calmed down.

 “Now, I understand you're upset,” Powell was saying, “but if you want I can give you a ride to the hospital so you can be with Steve.”

 Hopper’s hands clench when he heard her response.

 “I don’t need a ride to the hospital. I need a ride to wherever you’ve taken my husband,” she said, glared at Hopper as he walked into her view. “It’s not right that you’re just going to take the word of that whore.”

 “Excuse me,” Hopper said, incredulous, voice raising. “The one you’re calling _whore_ is _your son_. You know, the one your husband was choking to death inside _his_ own room. Instead of worrying about where your husband is you should be worried about yourself.”

 "And just what are you implying?” She asked, trying and failing to keep her voice down.

 “That if I find out you knew about the abuse your son suffered, you’ll find yourself in a jail cell right along side your husband,” Hopper said, storming off to his car. He slammed the door and peeled away. He could only hope that Steve didn’t change his mind about pressing charges.

______________________________________________________________________

 “No, Barb,” Steve sighed as he fiddled with the hospital gown while his other hand was holding the phone to his ear. “You don’t need to come all the way down from New York. Besides you have that test on Friday.”

 Steve looked up as the door opened and Hopper appeared. He nodded to him and stared back down at the floor.

 “Steve, you are more important than a test,” Barb said, trying and failing to keep the tears out of her voice.

 “I know that, but I’m okay. Listen, I have to go, okay? Hopper’s here,” Steve watched out of the corner of his eye as he took a sit in the chair, putting him directly in front of him.

 “Oooh,” Barb’s tears turned into something that sounded suspicious like amusement. “You mean Chief Hopper, the one you’ve had a crush on? Well, don’t let me keep you from him. Call me later, though.”

 “Shut up, Barbara Holland,” Steve said, fighting the blush that he could feel. “And I will.”

 He hung up the phone and met Hopper’s eyes, hands gripping his knees. At least he wasn’t looking at him with pity in his eyes like the hospital staff.

“Look, Steve,” Hopper sighed and took of his hat, “I understand this can be hard but I need you to tell me how all of it started.”

“I don’t remember it ever being that bad,” Steve said bringing his legs up to hug them. “In the beginning it was just a slap here and a push there. You know, if my grades weren’t up to par or if I was late for dinner. I've been saving all the money I made so I can get my own place.”

 “How long has it been going on,” Hopper said, pulling out a cigarette. He lit it and took a drag before offering it up to Steve. He leaned back as he breathed the smoke out and crossed his arms. Steve took a long drag and put his legs back down.

 “I think it started when I was seven or six,” his voice sounded far off. “I had been hanging out with my friends and didn’t pay attention to the time. I didn’t even know they were home. Usually I had a nanny watching me.”

 “Then as I got older he graduated to punching me or pushing me into things that would leave bruises. It’s not like they were always home. If anything, it made me appreciate the fact that they went on some many business trips,” Steve shrugged as he passed the cigarette back.

 “As he ever chocked you before,” Hopper asked, squinting up at him.

 “No,” Steve shook his head rapidly. “He never went that far before. But it did get worse when,” he paused, looking embarrassed.

 “It got worse when what?”

 Steve sighed and whispered, face red, “When I started developing. It was like as soon as I started getting breasts and curves, he had to enforce the fact that he ran things. Which is dumb because I already knew by then that, when they were home, it was his way or no way.”

 Hopper put his hand on his face and took a deep breathe. “Are you telling me that he would..”

 “Oh god no,” Steve said, looking disgusted. “He never did anything like that. He just got more violent. That’s all.”

 “And tonight was about?”

 “There was this guy at the diner. Right as my shift was ending, he kept asking me out. It was annoying,” Steve wrinkled his nose. “I kept it polite because I didn’t want to get in trouble at work but as soon as I started walking out he followed me. Said he knew my dad.”

 Steve put a hand out and Hopper gave him another cigarette, lighting it for him. Steve took a puff then breathed out. “I told him that knowing my dad wasn’t a ringing endorsement and that I definitely wouldn’t go out with him then. Then he told me that if I didn’t he was going to tell his dad. That some deal would be off.”

 Hopper wished he had had the opportunity to punch Joesph Harrington because _Jesus_. What kind of man used his only son as a way to close a deal.

 “Had he ever done that before,” Hopper asked. He continued at Steve’s look of confusion. “Did he ever try to use you to close some sort of deal?”

 “Oh,” Steve finished the cigarette. “No. He said that I needed to start helping out his business in some way since I wasn’t going be working for him.”

 “And that’s when he starting choking you?” Steve waved off Hoppers offer for another cigarette.

 “No. I told him that I wouldn’t be a whore for him or his business. Then he started yelling about how it was the least I could do and that he wasn’t giving me a choice.”

 “So he was going to force you?” Hopper rolled his eyes at Steve’s look. “Look, I know. But for the record I have to ask.”

 “Yup,” Steve said the a pop. “He said that he had heard about my reputation around town and that it was time to put it to use. So I told him he could take his money, house, and car and shove it up his ass.”

 “And that’s when he started choking you.” Hopper shook his head in disbelief. Steve hummed in affirmative. “What makes it easy is that we saw him. Did you mom know about the abuse?”

 “She said I deserved it,” Steve smirked as he saw Hopper get up and start pacing.

 “You know that you don’t right,” Hopper looked at Steve. “You don’t deserve anything that bastard did to you.”

 Steve nodded. “I know. She’s just jealous. People used to look at her the way they do me. She never likes to be reminded that she’s getting older. And that’s all I am. A reminder.”

 “And did she ever join your father in hitting you?” Hopper asked, stopping in front of Steve’s swinging legs and put a his hands on them to stop the swinging.

 “No,” Steve shook his head. “She’s more of the type who uses words.”

 Hopper sighed and took a step back. “Okay, so I don’t know if I can get charges on her but I know the charges on your father will stick. Did the nurse already take pictures?” Steve nodded. “The doctor told me on the way in that you could leave. I can take you to some place you feel safe.”

 “That’s the thing,” Steve looked up at him with his brown eyes full of tears. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“What about Barbara? I thought you two were friends,” Hopper said, crossing his arms.

 “Yea, but she’s in New York for school. And her parent’s don’t like me. They blame me.”

 Hopper raised an eyebrow. “For being a…”, he trailed off as he made a hand gesture.

 His awkwardness was worth seeing Steve snort and then start to laugh through his tears.

 He said between chuckles, “No, they don’t blame me for her liking girls. They are a hundred percent okay with that. They blame me for her going to a school so far away.”

 “You can’t think of anyone who would take you in,” Hopper asked in disbelief.

 “No. The only friend I have is Barb. No one else wanted to friends with the slut of Hawkin's High,” Steve shrugged in self-depreciation.

 “We’ll figure something out, Steve. I’m not going to leave you out in the cold.”

_____________________________________________________________

 Hopper pulled up to his house and put his hat on the dash as he opened the door. He turned as Steve got out and closed the door. Mrs. Harrington had only let him take the clothes that Steve had bought himself. Even that had been a fight.

 She had tried to stand by the door to make sure he didn’t take anything that they had bought him. Not like she could remember. Hopper shook himself mentally and walked up the steps.

 He had bought this house when he had asked Jane if she wanted him to adopt her. Her father, Michael Brenner, had gone crazy and thought that Jane could move objects with her mind. Every time she failed, he would locked her up in the closet without food. She had finally gotten away and ran to a neighbors house.

 He walked through the house and talked to Steve over his shoulder. “So up these stairs are my room and Jane’s room. To the right is the kitchen. There’s two bathrooms up here and one downstairs. There’s an extra room you can have upstairs or if you want you can take the basement. Now, I got to warn you. If you take the basement be prepared to deal with preteens play D&D.”

 “D and D?” Steve asked with a raised eyebrow. “Is that like a board game?”

 Jim laughed and shook his head. “I can’t really explain it. Just know that you’ll have to deal with them once, maybe twice, if you decide to take it.”

 “I’ll take the upstairs room,” Steve said, smiling. “I don’t think I can deal with that many kids at one time.”

 “Oh trust me, I completely understand,” Jim said as he showed Steve to his room. “That’s why I let Joyce or Jonathan stay with them most of the time.”

 “Jonathan Byers?” Steve asked as he sat his bag down in his room. They made their way back to the living room and Jim walked

 “Yea, why? You know him?” Jim said, pulling out a cigarette and sitting on the recliner.

 “I mean yea. I graduated when he was an incoming freshman but we kinda had a run in,” Steve said, while he laid down on the couch.

 “What kind of run-in?” Jim’s voice was curious.

 “I caught him taking pictures of me and Bradley.” At Jim’s look, Steve elaborated. “You know the kind that showed a lot of skin.”

 “No shit? Huh, I’ve never heard anything about it.”

 Steve curled himself up on the couch and looked at Jim. “That’s because I didn’t go around telling anyone. I figured it was just a curious teenager and would grow out of it. No need to ruin someone’s life over a single mistake.”

 Jim squinted his eyes at Steve as he turned on the t.v. “I never took you for a bleeding heart.”

 “I’m not. If he had tried it again, I would have said something about it. A single moment shouldn’t define someone’s life.”

 Jim hummed noncommittally, “You gonna be okay if he watches the kids sometimes? If not, I can always tell Joyce that only her or Bob can.”

 Steve shook his head. “You don’t have to do that, Hopper. I’m not one to hold a grudge.”

 “If you say so,” Jim said. “Just tell me if you change your mind. You hungry? There’s not much in the fridge but we can always order in. And call me Jim, Steve. You’re going to be living here.” 

 “I’m not hungry, Hopper. I mean Jim,” Steve corrected as he sat up. “How do you think Jane’s going to take me living here? I promise I won’t stay long. I just need to save up some money and I’ll be out of your hair.”

 “As long as you need, Steve. It’s no problem. And are you kidding me? She loves you. She won’t have a problem at all.”

 Steve nodded and stretched and bid Jim a goodnight as he walked up the stairs, leaving Jim to contemplate just how much had happened in a span of a few hours. He grabbed a beer from the kitchen as he made his way to his room. He prayed he was right about Jane. She might love Steve, but she did have her moments.

 The next morning, Jim woke up to the smell of bacon waifing from downstairs. He stretched and scratched before heading down. As he got closer he could hear voices.

 “Dad never makes breakfast,” Jane was saying as she watched Steve standing by the stove cooking bacon and stirring a pan full of cut potatoes.

 “I do too,” Jim said in defense of himself. “You just always want Eggos or to go to Benny's diner or Big John's.”

 “Because last time you cooked for me, you almost burned the house down,” Jane said, laughing.

 Steve started to chuckled as he turned and faced Jim. It took all of his will power not to make a show of looking him up and down. _Jesus those legs,_ Jim thought to himself as he looked at Steve in the eye.

 The boy had assets everywhere and his fleece nightshirt and shorts weren’t exactly hiding them.

 “Joyce brought over some groceries when she brought Jane home,” Steve said, pulling out a cup from the cabinet. “I made some coffee. Want some?”

 Jim nodded and took a seat by Jane. “So did Steve tell you that he was going to be staying here?” He groaned as the taste of the brewed coffee hit his tongue. “It never comes out like this when I make it.”

 “Yup,” Jane nodded her head excitedly, her curls bouncing with each nod. “I told him that it was going to be awesome . I finally have someone to talk boys to and he knows how to do hair.”

 “Boys,” Jim said, looking at Jane. “Why do you need someone to talk about boys? You’re way too young.”

 Steve snorted and put three plates down filled with bacon, potatoes, and egg. He also sat down three bowls of chopped fruit as he took a sit.

 “Everyone needs someone to talk to Jim. Especially about boys,” Steve winked in Jane’s direction. She hid a smile as she took a bite of food.

 Jim just shook his head and dug in. He tried not moan as he took a bite.

 “You didn’t need to cook, Steve,” he said unconvincingly as he went after his plate like a man starved. Jane copied him. “I’m sure you get tired of smelling eggs and bacon.”

 Steve speared some fruit on his fork and just raised an eyebrow. “I don’t mind and besides I enjoy cooking and from what I’ve seen both of you can do with some more home-cooking. And apparently someone went to the diner and told them that I wouldn’t be coming in for a week due to a family emergency”

 “Oh,” Jim mumbled as he put down his fork and reached for his cup of coffee. “I wonder who did that.”

 “Hmm,” Steve smiled. “I have no idea. But if you find out be sure to past my thanks along. I wouldn’t have wanted to endure every one looking at me.”

 He reached self-consciously for his neck, where the bruises had darkened. Jim noticed Jane looking at them curiously but couldn’t be prouder when she didn’t say anything.

 She took a bite before narrowing her eyes at Steve in contemplation. Maybe he should have held off on the proud feeling.

 “Can I ask you something,” she said, fiddling with her glass of orange juice.

 “Of course you can,” Steve said, putting his fork down and giving her his undivided attention. Jim braced himself.

 “Well, is it true that you grew those over night?” she asked pointing to Steve’s breasts. Jim’s eyes widened comically and Steve just looked at her in surprise. “Because that’s what I heard some older guys say to Max’s brother. That one day you were” she made a gesture for flat, “and the next you were like," she made another gesture. "They said it was like you put grapefruits under your shirt."

 Steve burst out laughing, holding his stomach as he bent over in his chair. Jim tried to hid his grin but he looked at Jane, who looked offended. Which caused his jovial laughter to spill out. Jane just looked between them, her look of indignant growing.

_______________________________________________________________________

 “So I hear that you’re living with the sheriff,” Billy Hargrove gave Steve his best come hither look.

 “Chief,” Steve corrected as he got out his pen to take his order. He had been coming in everyday after Steve came back to work. “What can I get you today, Billy?”

 “Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to go out with me? There’s this new movie playing and I heard it’s scary,” Billy pouted as he looked at Steve. “I need someone to go with.”

 “And I’m sure there are plenty of people _your age_ , who would love to go,” Steve said, exasperated. “Now, what can I get you to eat?”

 “You,” Billy said bluntly, batting his baby blue eyes. “Come on, Harrington. Just one date.”

 “I’m nineteen.You’re sixteen. Not happening. Now, would you like anything to eat _from the menu_? Or are you just wasting my time,” Steve raised an eyebrow at him, “like you have been for the last couple of weeks?”

 Billy put his head over his heart. “That hurts, princess. That hurts a lot.”

 Steve rolled his eyes and walked away. “Call me over once you’ve decided what to order.”

 “Why don’t you put that boy out of his misery,” Lisa, his fellow waiter said as he walked in the back.

 Steve grabbed more straws and put them in his apron. “Because he’s sixteen.”

 “And your point is?” Lisa raised an eyebrow.

 “My point is that he’s a minor. I’m not,” Steve looked at her with his hands on his hips. “And you should remember that too.”

 The cook, Big John, snorted as he listened in, shaking his head. “You tell her, Steve. Don’t need to go to jail for a roll in the hay.”

 She snorted. “He certainly doesn’t look like a minor.”

 “Yea, well that still doesn’t change the fact that he’s underage,” Steve said walking back into the out as she nodded in agreement.

 He walked over to Susie’s table with their drink order and dropped down some straws. “Have you figured out what you want today?”

 She bit her lip and glanced at her teenager daughter and toddler. Both who were going through an extremely picky faze. “Do you have an idea of what you want?” She looked at her daughter.

 “I’ll just take my usual, Steve,” Debbie took, leaning to look over Steve. “I wish he would look at me that way.”

 Susie looked. “Isn’t that Billy Hargrove?”

 “Yup. And what can I get for you, little man?” Steve bent over to rub her son’s hair.

 “Nuggies,” he said with a big grin.

 “Yea, and how about some mashed potatoes?” Steve asked with a big smile.

 “umm, yes!” He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. Steve stood up and looked at Susie expectantly.

 “How long has that boy been bothering you, Steve dear,” she stalled, taking a sip of soda.

 “Oh just for a couple of weeks,” he looked as the bell dinged from above the door. He smiled as Jim and Jane walked through the door. He walked past Steve with a nod and gave a grin to Susie as they went to their regular booth.

 “Well,” Susie leaned in to whisper, “I wouldn’t want a little boy either if I had something that gorgeous and manly waiting for me at home.”

 “Mom,” Debbie gasped, scandalized.

 Steve chuckled as his face turned red. “It’s not like that. He’s just helping me until I can get on my feet.”

 Susie nodded. “I heard about that. I wanted to say I’m sorry. You don’t deserve being treated that way. Especially by a parent.”

 “Oh my god, mom,” Debbie glared at her. “Why would you bring that up?”

 “It’s okay,” Steve said, turning his attention to Susie. “It’s better than just staring at me and not saying anything.”

 “That’s what I say. Better to just get everything out there,” she picked at her menu with her nail. “I’m just going to get my usual, Steve. Sorry for wasting your time.”

 “You’re always a pleasure,” Steve said as he wrote down their order. “Never a waste of time.”

 He put their order in and walked toward Hopper and Jane. “Hey guys, you want anything different today?”

 “Nope,” Jane said, arms crossed and glaring at Jim. Steve raised an eyebrow at Jim. He just shook his head as he ran a hand through his hair.

 “Come on, Jane,” Jim looked exhausted. “Don’t take it on him because you’re mad at me.”

 “I’m not mad,” she said, starting to pout. Before anyone could say anything Lisa came over, rolling her eyes in irritation.

 “Steve, he won’t let me take his order,” she leaned on the booth and glared subtly in Billy’s direction. He sighed and shook his head.

 “Of course he won’t. Probably won’t even order anything except a coke just like he did yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that.” Steve put a hand over his eyes before telling them that he’d be back.

 “Isn’t that Max’s brother?” Jim asked Jane. At her nod, he turned his attention to Lisa. “Has he been coming in here and doing that a lot?”

 “You mean coming in and generally not ordering anything? Yup. One day, Steve was late and he waited. Wouldn’t even take a cup of coffee from anyone other than Steve. And I reckon, he’ll be here all day.” 

 Jim turned his stare to Billy. “Why’s that?”

 “Steve’s working a double today. Misty called out,” she shook her head. “I was beginning to think that it was kinda cute, ya know? But he just won’t take Steve’s no for an answer.”

 Jim just nodded, watching as Billy’s eyes stayed glued to Steve’s backside as he walked away. He watched him take a deep breath before sharing a look with Lisa.

 “Can you tell Big John to come out here? Have him take Billy’s order.”

 Lisa looked at Steve, worry seeping in her gaze. “Okay. He say anything that crossed the line?”

 “Nope,” Steve gave her a tight smile. He looked at Jane for a minute before continuing. “Just that he’d love to meet me in the back for my break.”

 Lisa walked to the back briskly, hands clenched in anger. She might have thought it was cute but not now. Billy had crossed a big line.

 Jim looked at Steve trying to decipher what was just said as anger flew through his body. Steve just gave look that said later and went back to Jane. “So I put in your order already. I’m due for a break since you came in after the lunch rush. Mind if I sit?”

 “Of course not,” she said, perking up instantly. Steve slid in by her side as Lisa came back with their drinks. She put a drink in front of Steve too. They all watched as Big John, who stood at 6 foot 5 inches, walked out and started towards Billy. Never let it be said a smile had to be friendly, especially when it was coming from Big John.

 “I put an order in for you to,” Lisa just waved off Steve’s glare and gestured out to the mainly empty diner. “I can hold down the fort so you can eat. You need it. You’re going to be here for a while.”

 She walked away before Steve could protest.

 “So if Steve’s working a double, does this mean we can order pizza tonight?” She asked looking at Jim with a grin.

 Jim ignored Steve’s glare and nodded. “I think that sounds like a great idea. What time will you be getting off?”

 “Why? So you get sneak in some donuts too?” He crossed his arms. “You know, Flo told me all about your bad diet the first week I moved in.”

 “No. I was just wondering in case you wanted a ride,” Jim said with a grin. He watched as Steve’s hackles went down. “We already had donuts for breakfast anyway.”

 He winked at Jane as Steve started going on a rant about how “donuts are _not_ a breakfast, it’s barely a snack.”

 Hours later, Jim and Steve walked into the house, Jim laughing as Steve told him about his most troubled customers.

 “And she does this all the time?” Jim asked as they took off their coats.

 “Yup. Then complains because we don’t take her seriously. Which evolves into you never taking her concernsseriously” Steve smiled, then startled as a throat cleared.

 He turned and saw Joyce and Will sitting on the couch with Jane curled up on the recliner sleeping. He gave them a smile. “She tried to wait up for me?”

 “Yea,” Joyce said returning his smile. “Poor thing was tired, though. Will wanted to come by and help her with her science homework. Then I took them to the video store to get a movie.”

 “That tends to do it,” Steve started toward the stairs. “I’m just going to go change into something that doesn’t smell like grease.” He wrinkled his nose as he looked down at his shirt and shorts, both with a few stains. 

 “Finally going to admit it’s getting too cold for those shorts,” Jim called up after him as he walked into the kitchen. Joyce and Will joined him in laughing as Steve’s voice came down the stairs.

 “Nope, I get _way_ too many tips with these. People either feel bad for staring so much or feel sorry for me.”

 Joyce walked into the kitchen shaking her head with a grin. “So,” she glanced up to make sure Steve wasn’t coming down the stairs, “I see that you’re enjoying your new roommate.”

 “He’s a good kid,” Hopper said as he got out poured some tea in a glass. He caught Joyce’s look and sighed. “What?”

 Joyce shrugged her shoulders, “Nothing, I just couldn’t help but notice some things. Like how you didn’t take your eyes off of him. I recall how you flirted with people in high school.”

 “Don’t start, Joyce.”

 She shrugged again and put her hands up. “I’ll stop. If you tell me you really see him as a kid. Because, Hopper, there was nothing saying that in your eyes earlier. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” 

 Hopper fixed her with a stare but heard footsteps coming down. He just shook his head at her and went back into the fridge. 

 Steve walked in wearing long pajama pants and a black spaghetti strapped shirt. “Please tell me that you didn’t eat all the alfredo pasta I made last night.”

 “Nope,” Jim brought out a Tupperware container with a flourish. “Jane made sure to save you some.”

 Steve snorted as he took it from him and got out a pan to reheat it. He held up a hand to stop Jim from talking. “More like she hid it from you and didn’t tell you were it was until after you already ate. Don’t you dare tell me to use the microwave. It ruins the flavor.”

 He pointedly ignored Joyce’s wide smile and shrugged. “You’d be able to eat it faster. But,” he continued before Steve could rant, “I was wondering if you were up for having some guests tomorrow.”

 “Oh, for that lunch and dinner thing you guys do?” Steve asked as he reheated his food.

 “Yea. It’s our turn to have everyone over.” Hopper said grabbing a beer and lighting up a cigarette. He was trying really hard not to stare at the way that shirt clung to Steve’s body, especially with the eagle-eyed Joyce in the room.

  _But heaven help me, look at the cleavage it shows,_ he thought to himself. Hopper subtly placed himself in a position that gave him the optimal view. _No harm in looking_. _No harm at all_.

 “Jane said it should have already been your turn,” Steve said, glancing up at Jim. “She already told me about it. That’s why I bought extra groceries yesterday.”

 “Speaking of Jane,” Joyce said, leaning against the door frame. “Shouldn’t you move her to her room? Will’s still watching the movie but I don’t think she’s waking up.”

 “She picked out that new comedy the video store has?” At Joyce’s nod, Steve continued as he put his food in the bowl Jim had sat out. “She always picks those and then falls asleep.”

 Steve slapped at Jim’s hand away as he reached for his food. “Shouldn’t you be putting Jane in bed, instead of trying to steal my food?”

 “I can multi-task. Comes with age.” Jim said as he and Joyce followed Steve into the living room. He put his beer down on the coffee table.

 “Hmm,” Steve hummed, sitting down on the love seat. “Explains why Carl Fisher is always complaining that you can’t be bothered until you’ve eaten your first donut of the day.”

 Will hid a smile and Joyce grinned at Steve, who turned to watch the movie as he took a bite of food. Joyce didn’t miss the way his eyes followed Hop as he picked Jane up and walked up the stairs.

_______________________________________________________________________

 “Get out of this kitchen Jim Hopper or I swear to god, I will throw you out!” Joyce heard as soon as she walked in with kids. Jonathan and Nancy raised an eyebrow while the rest of the kids stared wide-eyed at the sight in front of them.

 Jane was sitting on the couch laughing as Hopper had his arms crossed and stared Steve down. Instead of being cowed, Steve started waving the knife in his hands. “Don’t look at me like that, _Jim_ ,” only Steve could make a name sound like an insult. “I don’t need or want your help. You already ruined the mashed potatoes once. You don't intimidate me."

 He turned on his heel and shut the kitchen door in Hopper’s face, causing Jane to laugh harder, arms wrapping around her stomach. Tears started to stream down her face. Steve’s muttering of “who the fuck puts water in mashed potatoes” and “police chiefs who can’t even watch a pan of rice” made Joyce cover her laugh with a cough.

 “Umm,” Dustin blurted out, “what the fuck did we just witness?”

 “Language, Henderson,” Hopper called out over his shoulder as he glared at the kitchen door.

 Mike ignored them and walked to Jane and smiled big. “Hi, Jane.”

 “Hi, Mike,” Jane said, finally getting a hold of herself. She gave him a hug and started welcoming everyone.

 “No, seriously,” Dustin said flabbergasted, “what just happened?”

 “I think the chief just got kicked out out of the kitchen and threatened in his own house,” Lucas said in wonder.

 “Wicked,” Max breathed out as she looked as if she had found her new hero.

 “Go downstairs and start the stupid game,” Hopper said, turning around. He watched the kids trek down and gave Mike a look that could cut glass as he held Jane’s hand. He then turned that on Jonathan, “You go put the dishes your mom brought into the kitchen.”

 “I’ll go,” Nancy volunteered but was stopped by Hopper.

 “No,” Hopper said, “Jonathan will.”

 “Okaay” Nancy looked at Hopper in confusion. Joyce just handed over the green beans and apple pie she had brought. Jonathan held the dishes to his chest as he walked slowly to the kitchen.

 “The doors not going bite you, Jonathan. Just open the door and go through,” Hopper sat down in his recliner and put his feet up. “Bring me a beer when you’re done.”

 “Saying please won’t kill, Jim,” Steve’s voice came from the kitchen.

 “Please,” he told him blandly. “I’ve been kicked out until the foods done.”

 Joyce just shook her head. Nancy raised her eyebrows, “How did that happen?”

 Jim shrugged and glared at the t.v. “It’s not my fault he put a cup of water right by the milk and butter for the mashed potatoes. It was an accident. And then the rice burned when he asked me to watch it.” He lit a cigarette and took a long drag.

 Joyce looked at him in astonishment and Nancy let out a giggle. He raised a hand as he breathed out. “Don’t start, Joyce. Believe me, I’ve already heard all about how dumb that decision was.”

 Joyce snorted as Jonathan walked back in, blushing. “Here,” he muttered shoving the beer Hopper’s way. At Hopper’s question look he nodded and just shook of Nancy’s look of confusion. They talked about school and watched a movie as the sound of the party shouting over each other travelled up the stairs.

 “Gotta love game day,” Hopper said as he got up and walked to the kitchen at Steve’s call. He walked back into the living room a couple of minutes later and yelled down the basement stairs, “The foods ready! Come up here and eat.”

 He rolled his eyes at the kids grumbling as he followed the group into the kitchen. Everyone complemented Steve’s food though and he even managed to pull them away from the game. By the end of the night they all gave Steve a hug as they left. Especially Max, who like Jane, thought that Steve was the coolest person she had met.

 Jim was lying in bed when he heard the door creak open. He put his book down as Steve padded in wearing his plaid buttoned up pajama top and matching shorts as he sat down beside him. Jim raised an eyebrow. In the month Steve had been living with them, he had never just walked into his room.

 Bedrooms were a safe place for Steve. Something that was obvious in the way, he didn’t just barge into Jane’s room either. They made sure to give him the same curtsey. 

 “Funny thing happened today,” Steve started to say as he turned to face Jim. “Jonathan apologized for taking those pictures.”

 He looked at Jim probingly. He just shrugged, trying to ignore the way Steve’s shorts showed more thigh as he crossed his legs. “That is peculiar.”

 Steve bit his lip and tilted his head. “It is. Especially after you were so keen on him bringing the food in to the kitchen. He wanted to make it clear that he had destroyed all the copies.”

 “Okay, look,” Jim said, placing a hand over Steve’s, “I told him that what he did was wrong, not to mention very illegal. I told him that you deserved an actual apology and to know that there weren’t any pictures of you in compromising positions hanging around.”

 Steve squeezed his hand in thanks and smiled. “I don’t think anyone’s ever made someone apologize to me before.”

 “You deserve it. You were a lot more lenient on that punk than most would be,” Jim said, eyes going back and forth to Steve’s eyes and lips. “I have a question.”

 “Hmm?” Steve said.

 “What did that phrase mean? The one you gave to Lisa,” he felt Steve tense instantly and saw rather than felt him pull back. He looked away and worried his lip between his teeth. Just before Jim could tell him to forget it, Steve started to talk.

 “When Barb and I were freshman, we got invited to our first high school party. I let her talk me into going,” Steve laughed at Jim’s look of disbelief. “I know, right? Who would think that Barb would be the one that wanted to go.”

 He shifted closer and held his hand tighter. “She practically dragged me. I didn’t want to get in trouble with my dad but I couldn’t tell her why, ya know?” Jim nodded in understanding. “So we went. Apparently, we got invited to it because of my assets.”

 Steve’s laugh turned ugly as he stared at a spot above Jim’s shoulder. “The senior quarterback asked me to go into the backroom. I said no and when he tried to pull me in that direction, I kneed him in the balls.”

 “They were a bunch of entitled assholes when I was in school too. Fucking hated them,” Jim said, causing Steve to look him in the eyes and giggle.

 “Me too. Well we left and I thought that was it. Barb felt bad but I waved it off. No big deal, right?”

“But it turned into one,” Jim said, moving so he was sitting next to Steve and put his arm around him. Steve rested his head on his shoulder and stared out the window.

 “Oh yea,” he sighed out. “He told everyone that I had banged the whole football team. Which was a total lie but they backed him up. Even my best friend, Tommy, said that I had. And it stuck. Everyone called me Steve Harrington the Slut.”

 “Apparently, Billy was told that dumbass lie,” Steve’s chuckled as Jim felt a tear hit his shoulder. “After all these years, that lie still hangs over my head. He told me that I was just trying to play hard to get and he would be waiting for me when I got off because he was tired of playing that game. That with my reputation, my no obviously meant yes.”

 Jim’s arm tightened around as he used his other hand to tilt Steve’s chin up and wipe his tears away. “I’m going to nail that fucking punk to the wall next time I see him.”

 “He’s not worth it,” Steve said, looking up at him. “He’s not the first one to say something like that anyway. It’s why we have that code. Big John will make sure they leave then when my shift ended, he would walk me to my car.”

 “You don’t deserve that,” Jim said fiercely, cradling his head in both hands. “You know that, right? You don’t deserve to be talked to like that. Even if you had done whatever that douche bag said. No one deserves to be treated that way.”

 “I know,” Steve whispered, smiling gently. He wrapped both arms around Steve as he buried his head in his neck. They stayed like that for awhile.

 After the night, things changed between them. There hadn’t been any awkwardness when Steve first moved in but now, there was an intimacy present that hadn’t been there before. It was in the way that Jim would put rest his hand on the small of Steve’s back when he walked in front of him. It was in the way Steve would rest a hand on his shoulder and lean in closer when he was talking.

 And when they were home, it was more pronounced. Instead of sitting in the recliner, Jim would sit on the loveseat and Steve would rest his legs on him. When there had been a car accident ended in one injured and one dead, Jim laid his head on Steve’s lap and fell asleep to Steve running his hands through his hair.

 When Jim opened up about Sara and the mental struggle he went through when he first brought Jane home, Steve just sat and listened. There was no pity in his eyes and he didn’t push for more information when Jim would trail off as he spoke of Sara or how he caused his marriage to crash and burn.

 Just like Jim showed no pity when Steve opened up about his mother and didn’t push when Steve would wave him off when he would mention the case against Steve’s father. The only time Jim had heard Steve talk about his father was when he had walked in on Jane crying in Steve’s arms.

 He had gotten home early and had been surprised when Steve wasn’t in the kitchen making supper. It had became a routine when Steve got off work and Joyce drove him and Jane home to start cooking. He had started walking towards his room when he noticed Jane’s door was cracked. He peeked in and saw her sitting on her bed crying, arms thrown around Steve. As soon as he heard Steve say his dad, he walked back down the stairs just as quietly as he had gone up them.

 Everything continued building until it boiled over two months later.

______________________________________________________________________

 Jim looked around the table at Benny, Henry, Earl, and Carl as Benny dealt out the cards. Benny had them over for poker every other Saturday at his diner. He even closed it early. He noticed the looks he was getting as he took a swig of beer.

 Carl leaned back and cross his arms as he squinted his eyes at Jim. “I’m surprised your gracing us with your presence.” Jim just shook his head at him.

 “I was here the last time, old man,” Jim said, taking a drag of his cigarette.

 “Yea,” Benny snorted as he finished dealing. “For about an hour.”

 “I had to pick Steve up from work,” Jim said as they started playing.

 Carl just grinned as he took in his hand and Henry nudged Jim with his elbow. “I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want to sit here looking at our ugly mugs when I had a someone like that waiting for me at home.”

 Earl and Benny nodded in agreement as Carl stroked his chin with his fingers. “Speaking of Steve, where is he tonight?” He looked at Jim expectantly.

 Jim rolled his eyes as he grabbed another beer from the cooler. “In Indianapolis. His friend Barb came down for Thanksgiving and they went shopping.”

“Wait, you mean the dyke?” Earl raised an eyebrow. Henry, Benny, and Jim glared at him but Carl surprised them all.

 “Now, don’t go calling her that,” he said, glaring at Earl as he pointed at him with a cigarette. “She’s done more for herself than half this damn town.”

 “Old man,” Benny said, looking at him in reproach. “Aren’t you the one that spent so much time telling Big John that hiring her would drive his business in the ground? Don’t be a hypocrite.”

 “I might be old, but I can learn new things,” he said petulantly.

 Henry’s tongue peeked between his lips as he raised an eyebrow. “It has nothing to do with Steve giving you another asshole for saying you were glad she was leaving?”

 Jim started to chuckle as Benny and Earl smirked. Carl just shrugged. “What can I say?” He nodded toward Jim. “Your boy made a very good argument.”

 “My boy?” Jim raised an eyebrow at him.

 Carl looked at him in disbelief. “Come on, Hop. Don’t take me for a fool. I saw the way you looked at him even before he started staying with you.” He raised a hand to stop his protests. “Now, I’m not saying that you had your sights on him when he was younger. You were one of the more respectable people.”

 “But, Jim,” he paused taking a drink of his beer, “don’t act like your eyes didn’t start to wonder after he graduated. Everyone’s did. Shit, they still do. Not to mention,” he said, voice going over Jim’s, “the way you looked at him when he would help out Jane with her reading or when I see you three at the grocery store.”

 Jim just rolled eyes and waved his arm at the rest. “You have anything else to add?”

 “Well, since you asked,” Benny smirked and he put down his cards. “I remember you were going to go with us on a hunting trip and then a certain carrier came down with a cold.” He raised an eyebrow in Jim’s direction.

 “And I recall seeing you at the grocery store at,” Henry leaned back and pursed his lips, “what time was it again? 8 O’clock? Buying ice cream because you had grabbed the wrong brand.”

 “That was for Jane,” Hopper’s voice was barely audible over his hand on his face.

“Look, man,” Earl put patted Jim’s shoulder, “we’re not telling you to not go for it. I mean, I remember you and Diane. You didn’t look at her the way I see you looking at Steve.”

 “Your a good man, Jim. You deserve something good,” Benny said when Jim turned to him. “I like the kid. Have ever since he started coming to eat here. Even after he started working at Big John’s diner.”

 Henry laughed, “You only like him because he’ll tell John to his face that your burgers are better than his.”

 Benny just shrugged. “I’m just saying, he has a big heart that’s always in the right place Jim. In spite of everything he’s been through.”

 “That’s the problem, okay. That’s the problem,” Jim rubbed his eyes with his palm. “What if I make a move and he only accepts _because_ I was there that day? I want him to…” he trailed off.

 “You want him to want you _in spite_ of the fact you were there that day,” Carl nodded in understanding. Jim just lit another cigarette and took a long drag.

 “That’s bullshit,” Benny said, glaring at Jim. “I’m being serious right now, Hop. I am. You weren’t here for the early years. We were,” he gestured around the table to Henry and Earl.

“And what does that have to do with anything,” Hopper said glaring.

 “That you don’t realize how strong he is,” Benny bluntly said. “He used to come here with a revolving door of nannies. Then himself. You remember how rich Joseph’s parents were?” At Hopper’s nod, he continued.

 “Well, he only got richer when he started working. Made it big in that firm of his dad’s and that gave him a lot clout here. So he could get away with his kid showing up with a few unexplained bruises. Made damn sure Chief Wilcox turned his head the other way. One of the reasons, he stepped down when he was asked."

 “I wanted Steve to know that he was worth more than just being a punching bag. So one day, I took him to the back. Told him that no father should be hitting on their kid. I told him that he deserved better than that. You know what he told me?”

“What,” Jim looked at him expectantly.

 “That he knew that. At twelve years old that boy knew his worth was bigger than his father’s fist and words. Some kids take years to understand that. I know I did. He doesn’t need you to save him, Jim. He already did that years ago. He just needs to know that someone’s there for him.”

 Benny looked at Jim and picked up his cards. “Come on now. Let’s continue this game. I need some more beer money.”

_____________________________________________________________________

 “Jesus, Steve,” Jim said as he walked in Steve’s room and looked at the shopping bags on his bed. “Did you leave anything in the store?”

 Steve laughed as he started taking clothes out of a bag. “They’re not all for me, thank you very much.”

 “I sure hope not,” Jim said, pulling out a pair of thermals. “These seem a little too big for you.”

 “Because they’re for you, smart ass,” Steve shook his head with a smile. “I already put Jane’s bags in her room.”

 “So she gets her own bags and I get thermals?” Jim batted his eyes at Steve. “I don’t see how that’s very fair.”

 Steve looked up at him and bit his lip. “I got you other stuff too,” Steve slapped his hand as he went to look in another, “but the rest is for Christmas.”

 “So violent,” Jim fake pouted as he walked down the stairs. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer. As he took a drink, he turned and saw Steve leaning against the door frame.

 “Didn’t you have enough at your game night?” Steve said as he brushed past him and opened the fridge. He pulled out cheese, ham and butter. “Want a grilled cheese?”

 Jim nodded as he watched Steve start puttering around the kitchen. Before he could second guess himself, he walked behind Steve and put his arm around his waist as he turned him around to face him. He closed the distant between them until they were practically breathing the same air.

His gaze went from Steve’s eyes to his lips. “I really hope I haven’t read this wrong,” he whispered.

 “You haven’t,” Steve smiled shyly as he brought his arms up to wind them around Jim’s neck.

 “I just,” Jim licked his lips. “I just don’t want this,” he pointed between them, “to affect the case against your dad.”

 “That man’s not going to see the inside of jail cell, Jim. Everyone knows that," Steve said, voice hoarse as he stared at him. “Besides, I don’t need a hero.” 

 “I’m beginning to realize that,” Jim said as he closed the distance between them. Their lips met in a chaste kiss as Steve pushed himself closer into his embrace. He put his beer down as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss and lifted Steve up by his thighs and placed him on the counter.

 Steve moaned as he licked at his lips with his tongue, seeking entrance. He mapped out his mouth as Steve parted his lips for him, hands going up to tangle in Jim’s hair. Jim’s hands roamed his body, one hand going under Steve’s bra to massage his breast as the other went to palm his ass.

 “God,” Steve muttered as he started to unbutton Jim’s shirt, hands running up and down his chest as more skin was revealed. Jim pulled back and pulled Steve’s shirt off, swallowing hard as he took in Steve’s heaving chest wrapped in a black and red lace bra. Steve pulled him back to yank off his shirt and started kissing and licking his neck, causing Jim to groan.

 He met Steve’s lips in a kiss and he brought a hand around to unclasp his bra, sliding the straps down slowly. He reveled in the moan that escaped from Steve as he kissed down his neck, nipping lightly, as he pulled his bra completely off. He licked down and circled his nipple, while his other hand went to the other one and started to rub the hardened nipple with his thumb. He relished in the keening noise that fell out of Steve’s mouth as he finally sucked that dark rose colored nub as he cupped his other breast, loving the heaviness.

 He switched breasts, sucking dark marks into the skin that stood out starkly. He glanced down and saw Steve’s own hard-on pushing against his jeans as a wet spot started to develop where his vagina was. He lightly hit Steve’s hips, pulling down his zipper and pushing down his jeans when Steve raised his hips.

He licked his lips as he looked at the matching black and red thong that was revealed. He yanked so Steve was balanced precariously on the counter and kneeled down. He placed open mouth kisses on his ankle then moved up toward his thighs, stopping at the edge of his panties. He placed a light kiss on Steve’s dick and licked one at his still covered opening, causing Steve to pant and whimper in protest when he started kissing down his other leg. He smirked as he felt Steve tug on his hair sharply.

 “I fucking swear, Jim Hopper. If you don’t stop teasing me,” Steve bit out. His glare wasn’t as effective considering how debauched he looked sitting on the counter with his legs splayed out like an offering. “Jim, please,” Steve whined as he worked back up his thigh.

 Steve broke off in a moan as Jim pushed his thong to the side in a way that trapped his dick and drove right in. He thrust his tongue into his entrance and licked up to his clit, sucking and lightly biting. Steve arched up into his mouth, hands going to his shoulders and digging in, as he repeated the motion.

 He licked in a circle on the hard nub and brought his hand up and thrust a finger in. Then another, until he had three fingers thrusting in and out of that tight, wet heat, making a squelching sound fill the kitchen.

 “Oh fuck. Oh god,” came tumbling out of Steve’s mouth as he sucked harder on his clit and sped up his fingers. Steve’s legs trembled and he glanced up, watching as Steve’s mouth fell open. Legs wrapped around his head, keeping him pressed against Steve’s core as he came, moaning out his name.

 Steve whined as he stood up, keeping his fingers deep inside him. He met his lips in a kiss, tongues entangling as Steve wrapped his legs around his waist. He felt Steve tremble and whimper as he slowly started moving his fingers inside him. Steve’s hand moved to his jeans and pulled at the zipper until he grasped his dick.

 He moved his hand hand up and down as he whispered, “Please, Jim. Fuck me.”

 “Oh, sweetheart,” he whispered in Steve’s ear. “I’m going to make love to you in a way no one ever has before.”

 Jim reached and tapped at his thigh, making Steve whimper as he took his fingers out to pull off his panties. He looked at Steve questioning and groaned as he nodded. He moaned and buried his head in Steve’ neck as Steve moved his hips to let him in and he was engulfed in that tight, wet heat inch by inch.

 He gripped Steve’s shoulder and hip as he sank deeper and ate up the moans that came out of Steve’s mouth with a filthy kiss. He moved his hands to under Steve’s thighs and lifted him up, causing both of them to moan as he finally bottomed out and Steve’s legs to wrap tightly around his waist. He walked them up the with stairs, taking in Steve’s wide eyes with a smirk.

 “Holy shit,” Steve whispered, he laid them on his bed and put his legs over his shoulders. “You are going to fucking ruin me for anyone else,” Steve panted out as he started thrusting harder and deeper.

 “That’s the plan, honey,” Jim grunted out as he picked up his pace. After the no words were spoken.

 Moans of passion and grunts of pleasure echoed throughout the room as the sound of skin slapping together came from the bed. Hands travelled down the back of Jim’s back, leaving scratches in wake as Steve arched up as the thrusts started coming faster and stronger.

 Whimpers escaped as Jim reached down and rubbed his clit, while bending down and leaving a trail of nips and lips along his neck. “Fuck,” Steve moaned out as he could feel his second orgasm approaching rapidly.

 “Holy shit,” Jim Hopper groaned, meeting Steve’s lips as he felt his walls clamp down on him. He followed Steve over the edge, spilling deep inside him.He kissed him chastely before rolling off of Steve and on his back. He pulled Steve to his chest and buried his nose in his hair, while Steve reached out and pulled a blanket over them.

 Steve placed a kiss on his chest and sighed in contentment as he put an arm across Jim’s stomach and closed his eyes. Jim looked down at Steve and smiled as his breathing evened out. He followed him into sleep on too long after that.

 He woke hours later and glanced at the clock. He looked around for Steve and wondered what the hell he was doing up at four in the morning. He sighed and made his way downstairs, only bothering to put his boxers on. He reached for his pack of cigarettes and pulled one out. He lit it has be made his way to the kitchen.

 He could definitely get use to the sight in front of him. Steve stood in front of the stove, flipping pancakes, humming some melody only he could hear. But what got Jim was what he was wearing. He had put on Jim’s flannel, which covered just butt. He took a drag and walked over, putting his arm around Steve, who leaned in to him as he flipped the pancake.

 “Pancakes,” Jim asked, careful to blow the smoke away from the food. Steve nodded.

 He put his finger to his mouth, “Shh, don’t tell Jane. But I think pancakes are way better than waffles.”

 Jim laughed then stopped abruptly, thinking. “Hold on a second. Didn’t you gang up on me _with_ Jane when I said the same thing.”

 “She was a customer, Jim and customers are always right,” Steve said with a wide grin.

 “So was I,” he said, putting out his cigarette in the small glass bowl next to the stove.

 “True, but her pout is better than yours,” Steve said, reaching up to get a plate. As he did, the shirt raised up, showing off his ass. Jim smacked it and hid a grin at Steve’s indignant squeak. He dodged Steve’s hand and walked to the kitchen table and sat down.

 He pulled Steve down in his lap when he tried to pass with the plate. He grabbed the fork and poured some syrup over them as Steve made himself comfortable on his lap. “So what kind are these?”

“Banana, walnut, and some cinnamon,” Steve said, opening his mouth as Jim held up the fork.

“You always wake up at four in the morning and make pancakes?” Jim asked in between bites.

“Nope,” Steve’s lips popped. “Only after great sex.”

“Just great,” Jim said as he pushed the away from the table and Steve moved to straddle him.

 “What would you like to hear,” Steve asked heatedly. “That you’re the best I’ve ever had.” He kissed Jim’s neck. “That I thought I knew what sex was until you came along.” He nibbled on his ear as Jim’s hands roamed over the flannel.

“All of that sounds pretty amazing,” he said, as he started to unbutton his shirt, opening it and pushing it over Steve’s shoulder’s. “How about I show you how could I can make you feel again? I didn’t mean to ignore this last night,” he put his hand on Steve’s cock and started to move his hand up and down.

 Steve took his hand off and directed to his folds, causing Jim to look at him in surprise. “I can’t orgasm from my dick, which means that you didn’t ignore anything that matters.”

“Really,” Jim pulled back and looked at Steve.

 He hummed and shrugged as he pulled out Jim’s dick. “Yup, I have to be really aroused for it to even get hard.” He squeezed his dick and swallowed Jim’s moan with his mouth. 

“You were hard last night,” he said, one hand idly going up and down Steve’s folds as the other rubbed his breast and pressed on the hickey he had made there. Steve moaned loudly better pulling away.

“Like I said, I have to be really aroused,” he said as he stood up and started out the kitchen. Jim scrabbled after him.

__________________________________________________________________

 “So,” Steve said, leaning on his elbow as he looked down at him. “How do you think Jane’s going to react?”

 “That's a good question."

 


End file.
